A standard conventional electrical timing circuit is the resistance and capacitance series (RC) circuit. On-chip elements to implement such a circuit are generally quite small and, in particular, the capacitances are relatively small. Consequently, where a relatively long time is to be defined by electrical elements, on-chip circuits are often not practical. Known prior art circuits have connections to timingcircuit elements off-chip, which typically are physically much larger and have corresponding larger electrical impedances.
Solid state oscillators and the like with off-chip timing capacitor circuits appear in the following prior art patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,748,591 to Visioli et al.; 3,863,179 to Goo; 3,878,492 to Schowe; and 4,083,019 to Hamada et al. In view of such teachings as well as other less pertinent references, it is hereby acknowledged that no novelty significant toward patentability exists in an off-chip timing circuit per se. Similarly, the use of an on-chip timing circuit is a standard design alternative known in the prior art, and, of course, the cross coupling of circuit elements with appropriate timing elements to form a multivibrator is entirely conventional.